Choosing schools

[kys]

Does anyones children go to kempshott?
Ive heard all good about the infants but not so good about the juniors.
Ive only got a while left to choose a school for my ds and terrified of making the wrong decision.

First of all, which is your catchment school? Some are v oversubscribed (eg Hatch Warren, Castle Hill) so if you aren't in catchment you've got pretty much no chance.

I've heard similar about Kempshott, although the people a couple of doors down from us are happy with it, the kids carried on to the juniors there even though they moved into Hatch Warren catchment area.

Mine do - one in the infants, one in the juniors.

The infants is outstanding - the parents think that and thankfully Ofsted agree - I found their report from 2007 the other day and there was not one single mark that wasn't a 1 on it (1 being the highest you can get). The head is inspiring and just excellent. I can't praise her enough actually. Some people don't like her, she has some odd idiosyncracies and she can be bossy but she runs an amazing school and she clearly adores her job.

The Juniors not so good. Last September (2007) the head had a stroke on the second day of term and has been off ever since. The infant head has dragged the juniors out of the Doldrums (she has been looking after both schools for the year) and they got a satisfactory in their Ofsted. The word in the playground is that if she hadn't been there they would have been down as a failing school.

However, they have just appointed a new head and she is supposed to be very very good too although she doesn't start until January. She already head of another school which she has apparently brought up to standard over the last few years. I have been a governor of the Juniors since the beginning of this term and I am told she is very highly thought of so hopefully she can do the same thing with Kempshott Juniors.

I would definitely apply for the Infants. If the Juniors is still a problem in 3 years time then you don't have to apply there as well. I suspect that the fact the juniors isn't so good would do you a favour as a school as well thought of as the infants would be vastly over-subscribed if they were attached to an equally good juniors. It isn't the best juniors at the moment but hopefully it will be soon but I know people who were put off last year from applying to the infants because of the Juniors.

Sorry a bit long.

Have to go - hope it makes sense but I don't have time to check as I have to go and pick the boys up now - we live next door so not far to go!

Thanx niecie thats great. I'm a childminder and i used to collect from the infants so I had heard about the probs with heads etc but its good to hear the facts from someone who obviously knows. I downloaded the ofsted the other month and it is really good.
Its been my first choice since my ds was born but we live just outside of catchment, fingers crossed.